The filter and silencer with a quick disconnect lid relates to pneumatic conveying systems in general and more specifically to a filter silencer for blower air that can be inspected readily. The filter silencer is often installed upon a tractor for a pneumatic tank trailer. Unique aspects of the present filter and silencer are a lid rotating opposite its connecting threads, wear pads, and a biased plate that retains the filter element.
Pipe or hopper tees on railway tank cars, tank trailers, pipelines and other means for conveyance distribute product from the storage carrier to a delivery point. The product exits the storage compartments of a transport carrier, like a trailer, then flows through piping upon the trailer for delivery by hose or further piping. In dry bulk hauling, such as pellets, powders, and grains, seal integrity at the pipe connection is essential to prevent contamination of the materials later hauled in a tank car. The pellets or powders unload from gravity gate valves or hoppers located on the bottom of a tank car. Tees attached to the bottom of a hopper connect with collection pipes. A vacuum or air stream from a pneumatic conveyor system created in the pipe accelerates the unloading of dry bulk products from a hopper.
A hopper must be completely empty of a dry bulk product to prevent contamination with later loads. As an example, if a tank car carries black plastic resin beads, no trace of the black plastic resin beads can remain in the car, the hopper, and the piping to prevent contamination with a subsequent load of white resin beads. A second example shows the need for complete emptying of a product from the entire car: edible white flour. If the tank car or piping system traps the flour and mold develops, later loads of flour will acquire mold. A third example, bulk liquids contaminating bulk dry loads, can render a load useless at great cost in disposal and other losses.
Presently, the bulk transporting industry favors downloading dry product from tank trailers by pneumatic systems. A pneumatic system begins with a blower mounted to a tractor, often a truck. When turning at high revolutions per minute, the blower forces air into a discharge pipe that pressurizes the collection pipes below a trailer. The pressurized air then delivers the dry bulk product from the collection pipes to the delivery point, commonly a hose. Alas, a typical blower generates much noise and permits traces of oil, grease, and dirt to enter the discharge pipe. As mentioned above, contamination remains of high concern to dry bulk haulers, particularly in foodstuffs and ingredients. During downloading of dry bulk products, contamination must be lowered to meet food safety standards and noise levels must be lowered to conform with local noise ordinances.
The present art overcomes the limitations of the prior art. That is, in the art of the present invention, a filter silencer with a quick disconnect lid has a filter for removing air impurities and deadening blower noise and a removable lid to inspect the filter readily.